Refining the Phoenix Divine Fire

"Lei Xiao, you..."

Yun Xiao abruptly turned her head, a flicker of hope flashing through her beautiful eyes before worry quickly replaced it. She knew all too well how terrifying Innate Sha Qi was, especially since Qiong Xiao's very origin had been invaded by it. It was almost impossible to resolve.

Lei Xiao did not explain. With a wave of his hand, a mass of crimson-gold flame appeared, within which a phoenix spread its wings as if about to take flight.

This crimson-gold flame was the Phoenix Divine Fire Lei Xiao had obtained earlier.

The Primordial World possessed three great origin divine fires, and Southern Brightaway Fire was the most effective at restraining Innate Sha Qi. However, Southern Brightaway Fire had long vanished along with Yuanfeng's fall.

Though Phoenix Divine Fire was not Southern Brightaway Fire, it had been derived from it and naturally had a restraining effect on Innate Sha Qi as well.

As long as Qiong Xiao refined this Phoenix Divine Fire, she could erase the Innate Sha Qi that had invaded her origin without anyone else needing to intervene.

As it happened, this Phoenix Divine Fire had originally been the gift he intended to give Qiong Xiao.

"Third Sister, relax your mind and do not resist. This flame restrains Innate Sha Qi. Once you refine it, the Sha Qi invading your origin will naturally be completely erased."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lei Xiao waved his hand. The crimson-gold Phoenix Divine Fire transformed into a palm-sized fire phoenix, letting out a clear cry sharp enough to pierce gold and shatter stone before plunging directly into Qiong Xiao's brow.

"Ah—!"

Qiong Xiao's entire body trembled violently, her hands gripping Yun Xiao's arms tightly. She could clearly feel that the instant the fire phoenix entered her body, it charged toward the origin occupied by Innate Sha Qi.

In an instant, a scorching yet harmless warm current surged through every limb and bone in her body.

The Innate Sha Qi that had been slowly devouring her origin to strengthen itself began trembling violently the moment it came into contact with the Phoenix Divine Fire, as though it had encountered its natural enemy. It let out a piercing hiss that set one's teeth on edge.

The Phoenix Divine Fire did not rush to burn the Sha Qi away. Instead, it gently enveloped and refined it, stripping it away from her origin strand by strand.

It felt as though someone were using warm water to slowly wash away filth clinging to her bones. Pain and numbness intertwined, causing Qiong Xiao's expression to shift unpredictably.

"Eldest Sister, Second Sister will need quite some time to refine the Phoenix Divine Fire and erase the Innate Sha Qi within her origin. I'll stand guard for her. You expended too much earlier, and less than one-tenth of your immortal power remains. Sit and recover your immortal power first!"

Seeing that Qiong Xiao's condition was truly improving, Yun Xiao nodded slightly and began meditating nearby to recover her magical power.

"Little Four, do you think Master can win?" Bi Xiao's voice transmission suddenly sounded by Lei Xiao's ear.

Following Bi Xiao's gaze toward the heavens, Lei Xiao saw that Tongtian and Zhunti had already entered the starry sky. Even though Lei Xiao was already a late-stage Golden Immortal, he could not make out the specifics of their battle.

He could only see blinding sword radiance and dazzling seven-colored glassy light intertwining and colliding from time to time in that deep sea of stars. Every collision was accompanied by space ripples that made one's heart tremble, as if even this Primordial World starry sky would be torn apart by the mighty power of these two great experts.

This battle had nearly alarmed every great expert in the Primordial World.

Streams of divine sense silently extended, sweeping over the boiling starry sky like invisible feelers.

"Why are these two fighting? And Fellow Daoist Tongtian seems to be truly enraged."

"Zhunti must have done something to anger Fellow Daoist Tongtian. That Zhunti is truly detestable. Last time, I clearly discovered a mid-grade innate spirit root first, but he insisted that the innate spirit root was fated with his West..."

The divine senses of great experts hidden amid the Nine Heavens' sea of clouds and the Primordial World void intertwined and stirred, discussing the matter in low voices filled with contempt, amusement, and surprise.

Which immortal in the Primordial World did not know the character of those two from the West? They spoke of fate whenever they opened their mouths and salvation whenever they closed them, yet they were in truth the most skilled at seizing and plundering. They coveted opportunities throughout the world, and their methods had always been scorned by Primordial World cultivators. It was merely because of their formidable strength that no one wished to openly fall out with them.

By provoking Tongtian today, he had truly kicked an iron plate.

"Master will definitely win this battle," Lei Xiao answered with certainty.

Ever since cultivating the Nine-Turn Primordial Essence Art, Lei Xiao had understood how powerful this technique was. Tongtian surely had yet to use his full strength.

"Roar—"

At that moment, a soul-shaking roar rang out. Lei Xiao looked over to see endless black-red Sha Qi churning at the horizon, spreading wildly in their direction.

"This is?"

Lei Xiao's gaze met a pair of blood-red eyes within the Sha Qi, and every hair on his body stood on end.

"Roar—!"

Another roar sounded as the black-red Sha Qi surged forth like a burst dam. Wherever it passed, the seawater was instantly dyed a dark red, while fish and shrimp floating on the surface turned belly-up, utterly lifeless.

"It's the Innate Yin-Yang Baleful Qi Flood Dragon!" Yun Xiao jolted awake from meditation, immortal light instantly shielding her body as her expression turned incomparably grave.

"It's the ferocious beast suppressed by the Yin-Yang Profound Baleful Array." Lei Xiao stepped forward, shielding the three Xiao sisters behind him.

"Lei Xiao, don't be reckless. The Innate Yin-Yang Baleful Qi Flood Dragon is a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal. You are no match for it. Run!" Yun Xiao shouted.

The pressure of a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal bore down like the sky itself. The air twisted and trembled beneath the thick Sha Qi, every wisp of black-red mist carrying a bone-eroding poison. An ordinary Golden Immortal's cultivation would collapse the moment they touched it.

Lei Xiao merely shook his head slightly at her words.

On the Innate Yin-Yang Baleful Qi Flood Dragon's brow, he saw a golden Buddhist swastika rune. Clearly, this was a contingency Zhunti had left behind.

The reason Zhunti had so readily agreed to go to the starry sky and fight Tongtian was likely because he had wanted to create an opportunity for the Innate Yin-Yang Baleful Qi Flood Dragon to attack them.

To obtain an innate spirit treasure, Zhunti truly would stop at nothing.

It could only be said that both Tongtian and he had underestimated just how shameless Zhunti was.

Yun Xiao and Bi Xiao were both in terrible condition. If he fled, Yun Xiao and Qiong Xiao would undoubtedly die.

But with no path of retreat, he could only fight!

"Bi Xiao, protect Second Sister and Eldest Sister!" Lei Xiao shouted, his figure already transforming into a streak of purple light that shot into the sky.

"Lei Xiao—"

"Fourth Brother—"

"Little Four—"

Three cries of alarm reached Lei Xiao's ears, but he was too fast to hear what the three Xiao sisters said afterward.

Lei Xiao charged straight at the Innate Yin-Yang Baleful Qi Flood Dragon. At the same time, he summoned the Innate Fire Spirit Pearl, which rapidly expanded in the void and transformed into a blazing sun that smashed toward the flood dragon's true body.

"Boom—!"

The sun formed by the Innate Fire Spirit Pearl struck the flood dragon's body. Scorching flames erupted instantly, burning the surrounding Sha Qi with sharp hissing sounds.

The Innate Yin-Yang Baleful Qi Flood Dragon howled in pain, its enormous body rolling through the void. The shockwave it stirred swept away the clouds across a million li.

Yet Lei Xiao's expression darkened.

He had used his full strength in that strike with the Innate Fire Spirit Pearl, but it had only left a charred mark on the flood dragon's body. It had not even shattered more than a few scales.

The gap between a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal and a Golden Immortal was even greater than he had imagined.